Bathing belt



July 25, 1933. w v CARR 1,920,061

BATHING BELT Original Filed Aug. 17. 1931 Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM V. CARR, OF CHARLESTOW'N, MASSACHUSETTS BATHING- BELT Application led August 17, 1931, Serial No. 557,663. Renewed February 6, 1933;

This invention relates to apparel and more particularly to a belt intended for use in connection with a bathing suit. Many persons when going in swimming carry ciga- U rettes and matches with them and it is customary to leave the cigarettes and matches upon the beach. Upon returning the cig arettes and matches are often missing or it will be found that they have become wet m' due to spray, rise of the tide, heavy rollers or other causes.

Therefore one obj ect of the invention is to providea belt having as a part thereof a pocket in which matches and a pack of cigarettes may be placed and kept dry while swimming or wading .in the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide the belt with a pocket so located andmounted that it will beiirmly held in place G andprevented from moving out of its proper position.

Another object of the invention is to provide the pocket with an improved type of closure for its open upper end or` entrance which will serve very eectively to prevent water` entering the pocket and may be easily and quickly released or secured.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective'view of the improved belt,-

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the belt and pocket along the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken transversely through the belt and pocket valong the line 3-8 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the pocket detached.

The belt 1`may any other flexible material desired and may be either waterproofed or plain fabric. The strip from which the belt is formed may be of any length found necessary and at one end carries a buckle 2 which mayy be adjusted longitudinallyof the belt and thereby cause the belt to fit properly about a persons waist. The otherend portion of the belt forming strip is passed through an eye or loop 3 serving as a buckle' engaging element and folded back upon itself and secured by stitching as shown at 4 to form a loop 5 havinginner andouter plies 6 and 7. The pocket 8 in which cigarettes and matches are to be placed extends longitudinally Within the loop 5 for its full length and depth as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and therefore the pocket will be of suiicient size to accommodate a box of matches and a large package of cigarettes. This pocket is preflerably formed of fabric such as canvas which is waterproofed by impregnating it with a water repelling substance `and the strip is folded as shown in Figure 4. Referring to this figure it will be seen that the strip of A waterproofed fabric when folded forms walls 9 having their lower edges connected by a bottom 10 which is crimped inwardly so that the pocket may be expanded and easily accommodate a package of cigarettes. Marginal portions of the walls 9 are sewed together as shown at 11 and the stitching is extended inwardly atthe top of the pocket from opposite ends thereof in order to form an entrance 13 located intermediate the width of the pocket. It will thus be seen that the entrance or opening 13 terminates in spaced relation to ends of the pocket. Portions of the walls project beyond the stitching 12 to form fiaps 14 and these flaps 80 are folded outwardly and downwardly and lines of stitching l5 and 16.

be formed of canvas or serve as attaching {iaps which are firmly sewed against the inner faces of the inner and outer plies 6 and 7 of the loop 5 by g5 In order to close the entrance l13 and exclude water from the pocket there has been provided a closure consisting of companion strips 17 and 18. These strips are formed of waterproofed material and have their meeting side edges releasably united by interengaging fasteners 19 of the zipper type which are moved into operative engagement with each other by an actuating element 20' of a conventional construction. The stri s 17 and 18 -extend longitudinally of the poc et, the strip 17 having its upper marginal portion engagedl between the inner ply 6 and inner wall of the pocket where it is 'secured by the stitching 15 andthe strip '45 the open top of the pocket and downwardly 18 being secured along its lower edge to the outer ply '7 by stitching 21. It should be noted that the strip 17 is of greater length than the length of the entrance 13. Therefore when this strip is moved forwardly and downwardly to a closing position by sliding the actuating clement 20 to the position shown in Figure 1, end portions of this strip will bear. against the portions of the pocket walls which are sewed together by the stitching l2 and the strip or flap 17 will be firmly held in a closed position and serve very effectively to exclude water from the pocket.

A person wearing the improved belt may place matches and cigarettes in the pocket and when the strip 17 is secured in a closed position, the cigarettes and matches will be kept dry and it will not be necessary to leave them upon a beach where they are liable to be picked up or misplaced. A person may even swim in deep water without the cigarettes and matches becoming wet and after swimming` to a float at some distance from the shore, may smoke while resting upon theoat.

What is claimed is:

1. A belt having a loop of substantially the same Width as t'he belt and provided with y inner and outer plies, a pocket mounted between the plies of the loop and open at its top, means to close the open top of the pocket and exclude water therefrom, and a fastening device adjustably connecting the ends of the belt.

2.A A belt having a longitudinal loop disposed entirely within the lines of the belt and provided with inner and outer plies, a pocket mounted between the plies of the loop and open at its top, and means to close the open top of the pocket and exclude water therefrom having an outer section carried by the outer ply, an inner section carried by the inner ply and extending outwardly across against the outer face of the outer ply when in a closing position, interengaging means to releasably unite adjoinmg edge portions of said sections and form a tight joint between the same, and a fastening 'device adjustably connecting the ends of said belt.LA

3. A belt having a loop disposed entirely within the lines ofthe belt and provided with inner and outer plies, a pocket mounted between the plies of the loop and having inner and outer walls united along the bottom and ends of the pocket and at the top of the pocket having'their end portions sewed together from its ends for a portion of its width to forman entrance opening intermediate the width of the pocket, a closure for the entrance opening `consisting of an outer strip extending longitudinally of the outer ply and secured along its lower edge to the outer ply, an inner strip of greater ,the belt.

4. A belt having a loop disposed between the upper and lower longitudinal edges' thereof, a pocket fitted in the loop and having inner and outer walls united along the bottom and ends of the pocket and at the top of the pocket having their end portions sewed together from its ends for a portion of its width to form an entrancey opening intermediate the width of the pocket, said walls having their upper portions free and folded outwardly and downwardly to form attaching flaps secured against inner faces of the inner and outer plies of the belt, a closure for the entrance opening consisting of an outer strip extending longitudinallyl of the outer ply and secured along its lower edge to the outer ply, an inner strip of greater length than the entrance opening secured to the inner ply and extending outwardly across the opening with its ends bearing upon united end portions of the pocket walls and folded downwardly againstl the outer face of the outer ply when in az closing position, and interengaging means to releasably unite adjoining edge portions of said sections and form a tight joint between the same.

5. A belt consisting of a flexible strip of water proof material having one end portion folded back upon itself to form a loop having inner and outer plies, a fastener element carried by said loop, a companion fastener element carried by the other end of said strip, a pocket of flexible'water proof material between the plies of said loop having an entrance at its top, and means to close the entrance and exclude water.

6. A belt consisting of a flexible strip of water proof material having one end portion folded back upon itself to form a loop having inner and outer plies, a fastener element carried by said loop, a companion fastener element carried by the other end of said strip, a pocket of flexible water proof material between the plies of said loop having inner and outer walls -united along the bottom and ends of the pocket and having their'upper portions free and vfolded downwardly 4to form aps securedagainst inner faces of the lies, the walls being partially wardl against the outer face of the outer ply w en in a closing position, and interengaging means to releasably unite adjoining edge portions of said closure strips and form atight joint between the same.

WILLIAM V. CARR. [1.. 5.] 

